College Football

The finalists have been jostling in pursuit of Husan Longstreet, the nation’s top uncommitted quarterback, in the weeks leading up to the fast-approaching finish line. As the dynamic prospect from Corona (Calif.) Centennial prepares to reveal a college choice Sunday, perhaps it’s appropriate that the crowded battle has dwindled to a quartet of contenders. “Four is my favorite number,” Longstreet said. “It’s the age …

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas football will start the 2024 season a little sooner than anticipated. The SEC and the Razorbacks announced Friday that the team’s in-state matchup vs. UAPB at War Memorial Stadium is set for Thursday, August 29. The game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and will be nationally televised on ESPNU. It will be the first opportunity for …

ORLANDO — Armed with a new starting quarterback, a revamped roster and a pair of new coordinators, UCF offered a first look Friday ahead of its second Big 12 football season. UCF held its second annual Knights-versus-‘Nauts spring exhibition at FBC Mortgage Stadium, a two-quarter intrasquad scrimmage followed by a short skills competition. The Knights were the lone Big 12 …

The Gophers football program has routinely missed out on the top in-state recruit, but the opposite has happened twice now. Robbinsdale Cooper linebacker Emmanuel Karmo, the top-rated local prospect for the 2025 class, committed to Minnesota on Friday. Esko, Minn., safety Koi Perich first bucked the string of exits when he signed with Minnesota in last year’s class, turning down …

Punter Jesse Mirco said he was looking for a fresh start when he transferred from Ohio State to Vanderbilt after the 2023 football season. In an interview with the “Any Given Sunday Australia” podcast, Mirco, an Australia native, detailed his reasoning for leaving Columbus, a decision, he said, that revolved around him having the best opportunity to play at the …

OXFORD — Ole Miss football defensive lineman Joshua Harris announced plans to enter the transfer portal on social media on Friday. Harris played one season for the Rebels after arriving from NC State. The 6-foot-4, 325-pound native of Roxboro, North Carolina, saw 137 snaps on defense for the Rebels last season and picked up 13 tackles. He also contributed heavily …

Gold teeth and curly hair. That’s what earned Malakai Murphy the nickname “Hollywood.” “That’s just what people call me,” Murphy said with a laugh. “It started with the older coaches and all the old football players, that’s what they called me: Hollywood. “They see me with the golds, the curly hair, I have all the hair out and stuff, so …

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football running back Trent Howland plans on re-entering the transfer portal this spring. The spring window for football opens on April 16. The Hoosiers have three practices left during camp with a closed scrimmage on Saturday and their exhibition at Memorial Stadium on Thursday night. Howland entered the portal after former coach Tom Allen’s departure and verbally committed …

Alabama football quarterback Jalen Milroe showed off his arm ahead of A-Day by throwing out the first pitch ahead of Alabama baseball’s Friday night matchup with Arkansas. The No. 17 Crimson Tide (22-11, 4-8 SEC) is hosting No. 1 Arkansas (29-3, 11-1 SEC) for a weekend conference series. With the A-Day spring football scrimmage at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, it …

Utah quarterback Cameron Rising (7) celebrates his touchdown with tight end Brant Kuithe (80) during the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. The two Utah stars will be back in action Saturday during the annual spring game at Rice-Eccles Stadium after a year recovering from injuries. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Utah’s “22 Forever” spring …

OU football wide receiver Jalil Farooq, who played in 13 games last season, and offensive lineman Daniel Akinkunmi, a three-star freshman from England, were seen wheeling around practice Friday on scooters with boots on. Farooq is expected to be one of the Sooners’ top receivers next season and is coming off a season in which he recorded 694 receiving yards …

HATTIESBURG — Southern Miss football held its 15th and final spring practice on Thursday. Coach Will Hall has not yet named a starting quarterback. But the quarterback battle took a turn Friday when Billy Wiles entered the transfer portal as a graduate student. There were clues this week that Wiles, who started 10 games in 2023, could do so. The …

WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue football’s spring game is noon Saturday at Ross-Ade Stadium. Head coach Ryan Walters enters his second season coming off a 4-8 mark in 2023. There was no official spring game last season, rather a simulated indoor scrimmage to close the spring season. Now the Boilermakers have the depth to operate a game, though the format won’t …

Prior to his retirement as Alabama’s football coach, Nick Saban likely would be spending this weekend gearing up for the Crimson Tide’s spring football game. But this year, well into his fourth month of retirement, Saban instead is taking in the Augusta National Golf Club for the 88th Masters Tournament. He joined ESPN’s Lauren Rutledge on the network’s “Welcome to …

In a stunning reversal, defending Southern Section Division 1 football champion Santa Ana Mater Dei is replacing Frank McManus as football coach after one season. McManus won a Division 1 title last season after succeeding Mater Dei coaching legend Bruce Rollinson and was heralded as being “the right person to succeed Rollinson” by Mater Dei President Michael Brennan. But Mater …